The Spring 2011 WCSSF “Fair Play Award (Good  Sportsmanship Award):

The WCSSF started implementing a Fair Play Award last fall 2008 soccer season.  This award was adopted from the G.I.R.L.S. league.  We felt that teams should be rewarded for good sportsmanship and fair play.  As a League, we believe acknowledging good sportsmanship is very important in the game of soccer and in the development of the player’s attitude towards the sport and their opponents.

Fair Play sportsmanship includes the behavior of the Players, Coach’s, Team parents (Managers)and Parent's/Spectator’s before, during and after the game, toward the opponent, the Referee Staff and their own team members .

The WCSSF board recognizes that a significant indicator of good sportsmanship is the acknowledgment and reporting of an opponent’s behavior for each game. Therefore, to be eligible to receive the Fair Play Award, a team must complete the Coach’s Report 100% of all their games, and rating the opponent on the report.

Teams are ineligible for Fair Play Award consideration if:

 They forfeit a game for any reason.

 Any Player, Coach, Manager, Trainer, Parent/Spectator is “sent off”/ejected from a game, for any reason.

 They do not complete the Coach’s Reports for the season.

The team receives negative ratings (2 or lower) on the Referee’s Report for two (2) or more games during that season.

"Fair Play" is a broad term; listed below are some suggestions to assist Coaches/Team parents/Managers in rating the opposing team’s behavior:

• The players appeared to play the ball and not the player.

• No yellow or red cards were issued to any of the opposing team members.

• Opponent’s spectators were respectful and positive; no spectators were warned or ejected from the game by the Center Referee.

• No foul language or name-calling was used by anyone on the opposing    team.

• If your team had an injury and your team had possession of the ball, the opposing team played the ball back to your team at the restart.

• The opposing team was respectful of any injured player on the field.

• The opposing team members lined up and offered congratulations or “good game” at the end of the game.

• The opposing team thanked the Referee Staff.

• Opposing team’s Coaching staff was supportive and positive toward all players and Referee Staff.

• Overall, after the game, no matter the score, your team felt the opponent played a good game and demonstrated a good positive attitude toward the game.

The WCSSF Commissioners will keep track of Coach’s Reports throughout the season.

The WCSSF Commissioners will determine the Fair Play Award winners at the end of the season based on the total number of points received by opponents. 

The WCSSF Commissioners may award more than one team the Fair Play Award. Or the WCSSF Commissioners may also determine that none of the teams in the division truly demonstrated adequate Fair Play Award sportsmanship to the degree that the League deems appropriate and not present the award to any of the teams. The WCSSF Commissioners have the final say on the award and will review Referee Reports for additional feedback concerning fair play conduct.

Teams selected for the Fair Play Award will be acknowledged on the WCSSF website at the end of the season.